Zcash developers are aiming to activate the NU7 upgrade on mainnet on Nov. 5 after organizations and engineering teams reached unanimous agreement on the package and its estimated schedule. Testnet activation is set for Oct. 6, while a final decision on the mainnet rollout and activation height is scheduled for Oct. 20 after the team reviews testnet performance. NU7 would cut Zcash’s target block spacing from 75 seconds to 25 seconds, disable version 4 transactions and integrate the Network Sustainability Mechanism, or NSM. Under the selected NSM configuration, Zcash’s halving schedule would remain intact, and previously removed supply would begin to be reintroduced in February 2031. Developer Sean Bowe said the upgrade would not add new transaction formats and should not materially affect wallets, though full nodes, indexers and block explorers may need changes. The timeline follows a strong vote from ZEC holders, with 98.9% backing the existing halving schedule and 99.9% of ZEC-weighted votes supporting the faster block cadence. It also comes as ZEC jumped about 20% over 24 hours on Thursday and privacy coins outperformed the broader market, according to Glassnode data cited in the report.
Zcash developers are targeting Nov. 5 for the NU7 mainnet upgrade after organizations and engineering teams reached what Sean Bowe described as unanimous agreement on the contents of the release and its estimated timeline.
Speaking on Thursday, Bowe said NU7 is scheduled to go live on testnet on Oct. 6. A final decision on the mainnet upgrade, along with its activation height, is due on Oct. 20 after the team assesses how NU7 performs on testnet.
What NU7 would change
The upgrade would reduce Zcash’s target block spacing from 75 seconds to 25 seconds. It would also disable version 4 transactions and add the Network Sustainability Mechanism, or NSM.
Under the chosen NSM configuration, Zcash would keep its existing halving schedule. Previously removed supply would start to be reintroduced in February 2031.
Expected impact on wallets and infrastructure
Bowe said NU7 would not introduce new transaction formats, which means wallets should not see a significant impact from the change. Full nodes, indexers and block explorers, however, may need adjustments.
ZEC holders backed the proposal
On Wednesday, ZEC holders strongly supported both of the key elements tied to the upgrade. According to the vote results, 98.9% favored preserving the halving schedule, while 99.9% of the Zcash (ZEC)-weighted vote supported the proposal for shorter block intervals.
Price move and sector performance
The timeline arrived during a recent rally in ZEC. On Thursday, the token rose about 20% over 24 hours as privacy coins broadly outperformed the wider market.
Glassnode data showed the privacy-coin sector stood 213% above its level at Bitcoin’s October 2025 peak. A basket that excluded ZEC was up about 85% over the past year.
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